Mail-bag.



PATENTED DEC. 29, 1903.

' 1). GQMoGLAY.

MAIL BAG.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13. 1903-.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented fiecemloer 29, 1903 PATENT QFFICE.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 748,209, dated December 29, 1903.

Application filed February 18, 1903 Serial No 143,229. (No model.)

T0 0% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID G. MGCLAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Ana,in the countyof Orange andStateof California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bags, of which the following is a specification.

The presentinvention provides a secure fas tening for mail-bags of novel construction and capable of ready and easy manipulation and which will be simple and not liable to get out of repair.

A vital feature of the invention is a closingflap to fold over the mouth of the bag'integral tabs at the ends ofthe closing-flap to fold over and around the edges of the bag and, together with the closing-flap, embrace the mouth thereof,and stiffeners embracing oppo site sides of the bag adjacent to the mouth to prevent opening of the bag by edgewise pressure or the forcing outward of the lower or loose edge portion of the closing-flap.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention aresusceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whicha Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mail-bag em bodying the invention,the closing-flap and. tabs being extended and the mouth open. Fig. 2 is a side view of the upper portion of the bag, showing the arrangement of the parts when the same is closed and locked or secured. Fig. 3 is a section on the line X X of Fig. 2.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The bag 1 may be constructed of duck, leather, or other material commonly nsedin the manufacture of articles of this type and is strengthened or reinforced at its mouth or open end,as shown at 2,bystout material,preferably consisting of heavy leather attached to the open-end portion of the bag in any substantial way. A series of openings 3 are formed around the mouth of the bag in the reinforced part 2, and said openings are protected by eyelets or reinforced in anyway to prevent their tearing out. The openings 3 enable the bag to be suspended from the hooks of the rack or other support for holdclosing-flap and project from opposite ends thereof and are adapted to fold around the edges of the bag and upon the back thereof when said bag is closed. The tab 6 is provided at its end with a longitudinal slot 7 to receive the staple 8 when the bag is closed. A bar or plate 9 is'riveted or otherwise firmly attached at one end to the tab 5 and is adapted to pass through a staple 10 and is provided at its free end with a slot 11 for receptionof the staple 8.

The bar or plate 9 constitutes a stay and acts in the capacity of a hasp and is constructed to receive the label 12 to indicate the destination of the bag. Guides or flanges 13 are provided at opposite edges of the bar or plate 9, and the label 12 is adapted to slip thereunder and is prevented from being withdrawn when the bag is closed and locked by the staple 8, extending across the path of the labelat one end and the guides or flanges 13 being closed at the opposite end. The guides or flanges 13 in addition to forming a label serve to stiffen and strengthen the bar or plate 9, thereby enabling the same to be formed of either sheet metal or a light caster.

A plate 14 is firmly attached to the inner side of the closing'fiap 4 and extends nearly the bag and prevents access being had thereto by inserting the hand between the closingfiap and the back, such as would be the case if the plate 14 were dispensed with and the closing-fiap-4 not stiifened in substantially the manner stated. Corresponding openings 15 and 16 are formed in the front and rear sides of the bag or stiffened portion2 and receive the staples 10 and 8 afterthe closingflap has been folded. The tabs 5 and 6 are then folded around the edges of the bag and upon the rear side, the slot 7 of the tab 6 receiving the staple 8 and the bar or plate 9 being passed through the staple 10 and having its slot 11 engaged over the said staple 8 and secured by means of a pass-block 17 of any approved type. A strap 18 is secured to the upper end of the bag and constitutes a handle for convenience in manipulating the same.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is The herein-described mail-bag comprising a body portion, a reinforcement applied to the upper or open end portion of the bag and comprising an integral closing-flap and terminal securing-tabs, said reinforcement having a series of openings near the mouth of the bag and corresponding vertical and horizontal slots 16 and 15 in its front and rear portions in coincident relation, a plate 14 attached to the inner side of the closing-flap, vertical and horizontal staples 1O andS adapted to pass through slots 16 and 15 when the bag is closed, and plate 9 attached to one of the terminal tabs to pass through staple 10 and slotted to receive staple 8 and confine the other terminal tab thereon, the front and rear portions of the reinforcement being clamped between the said plates 9 and Hexterior thereto when the bag is closed, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID G. MGCLAY. [L. 8.] Witnesses:

ADOLPH BUTZ, R. J. ANDREWS. 

